Sheet cutter



`May v22,4 1945.4 R. u. s'rRANDBx-:RG Y2,376,460

SHEET CUTTER `Filed Aug. 2l, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l A IN VEN TOR.

Wim?, #was @im May 22? 1945. R. U.'STRANDBERG 2,376,460.

SHEET CUTTER Filed Aug. 21, 194s ,2 sheets-sheet 2 36/ E55 `l5 .(35 INVENTOR. lo. i 8 Zay [Z Sirandeg WM m14 mmmmm pr-tuaclit` side, of;` theV euttingr blades.: Which-L` whilez:

Patented May 22, 1945 UNITED# stares, PATENT t i 2,376,460 Y. v n snEErr CUTTER Applicationugust 21, 194a,seria1.Na. 499,49av

retains. (01.16%471' The present invention relates to.c'.uttingi` ap paratus forl severing: sheetv materialsueh'. asipaper, e; g:., photographicprinttpaper.. 1 1

A .generali object.. ofi the invention is fthetprovi sion: of an` eicient: cutting: apparatusm` or.; simple andisturdy construction.` which may beremployedr rapidly; and accurately@ totriml` `photographie` i print,papier.; and the=like,for1to severe. pieces ot ae curate dimension i from rollsz. thereoff whileip'ermittingrease: of manipulation and'handlingfofthe She,et:,materialwith: eiectveelimination c|fdan`L ger` of"cutting:theaoperatorfsxngersa and. wl'iioh' requires.; a; minimum of 'maintenance and` repair.

Axmore: specific object ofzithetinventionris to provid-erin such"apparatusomechanismf whiehspro vides-nforf. severing; movement of." ai `movable `able-de, i toward; agxedtblade. along a1patlrisubstantiallylatl rightr angles tto the1 planeA ofi the sheet-stufatortingf` bed by simple ande'icientscamfmeansi Anothenobjectof the. invention ris. the provision imsuch `apparatus of: blader-operating' meansxin cludingu a. manually ldepressibleV bars yextendinge alongsidefof. thes bed: structurezto befread-ilylaictes; i

sible.:` totandieasily. operable bmtheioperatorliromw a .position most, convenient ,to." `feechand arnange f mentzofi: sheetr material by'ithe operatorie' hands:

`A further object 10ft thainventiomis'sto.provide:` in: such apparatus guardfmeans: .whicl ipreventaith'er operatonrfrom; puttingi his;riitlgersitxinnthe` loealeroii:v th'ef cutting; b1ades:zWhile,imanipulatingf sheetv material:` thereto',` and] which.: mayffadta. `tionally desirably limit thiolmessiiotfedfmateriali..

Still, another object: .ofxtlieainventiom isf the pro'. vision;` of transparent .guard/meanstfomthetap-f t eliminating;- dangerrxtoi thes operatorstngersi .perl-1: mits visual inspection ofzthe.fedvmaterialllinztnef vicinity. of:the.czilttingflawdes.` i

Aisti'll'urther: objectxofi' the Hinvention iswthei provisioniin` suoli" apparatus s, ofrfadjustable .e slfie'et-Jn y guidingrmeans. toipermitieiiicientraguidingi.0i `mi materiali of Adiner-ing Widths; and fchamaetenx. y

Othercobjects toi therinventiomiwillfinipartabei:

obvious: and." will'. ini partiappe'amli'erein'aifter'sV objects lof theginvention: referermeeshould` bliadi:

tof; the followingrzdetailed: deseriptioni: takeni.l infr` connection;withatheiaeeompanyinggdrawings;,inz; which: I Y

mandamiism.;:y and@ omirttedxand lother".parts bikeriirawayi l i "Bhe: presentr invention: contemplates ai sheet-ir cutter apparatus i infiltrating: a bed:A strutztine-`` foril or: cue sheets: tot ber feti# therefrom to* cuttiglf mechanism.. The c-.uvttiriglmechanismipreferalrilyn` commises; aa fixed-'cutting blade andJaicobieifatin-gh movableucutting bla-clevextending:transverselyfo edge at one end Vlocated nearer the cuttingied'gf shearing.; when `Athefrnovablerbiatlefis movedE tol Walidubhelxdfrblad. h

Meansiforroperatingttheun'ovableibladeneludsi:

cam meansfwhietrduringlrotary movement eausesf and motivefmeansiitoi-causeithe-^carin means tot rotatef'atl. leasin.througlrn radial:` fangle. l Prefer;4

i ablyithe `movable':blade isfaspriiigbi'asetlrnlorniallyy toehuldz itu: inl retractedrl position Witl'if tlie cam-li means; ibeing; operated? in!v amanner to i permitithe 1f biasingiftotreturnthemovable blade-toffretraeted positioniaftenzit .haS'fibeen-'wmovedi iorwaidibiithf 45? rotating. camshavintatlobezwhidhimoves aiibladf operatingi` fbllowenlforwarclf: to aiiertainfposition( ande then passesi-itto relesef` the follower' and'L soifthatzsasiiitifis rotatedfinonedireetion itiover movesfwthex blader-forward and.' upnrfreleasef s caused by the biasingameanestterrataztewinetlieii` oppositeidtieetiomtwi'esetlthefxechanismiL is in the best position for manipulation and feed of sheet material.

Guard means are preferably provided on the approach side of the cutting blades.

This prefere ably comprises guard structurev mounted onl the bed structure which restrainsv approach ofthe operators lingers to the cutting locale and may additionally be spaced from the surface of the bed structure a restricted distance to limit the thickness'of fed material. This guard structure preferably is provided by a transversely extending bar supported above the top surface of the bed structure to provide a narrow `slot for passage of sheet material of limited thickness-andispre ferably formed of transparent material, such as Lucite, to permit visual inspection near the cutting locale. l The bed structure is preferably provided with sheet-guiding means which may comprise a longitudinally extending fixed bar and a movable bar adjustably mounted in parallel relation thereto. Both bars are preferably undercut on their lnside edges to provide with the bed surface a pair of opposed slots for guidance of the edges of a sheet.l The opposed or outside edge of the mov,-`

able bar is preferably provided with a straight at i blade 32 is clamped therebetween. The blade 32 l'has its cutting edge 33 disposed at an angle to the cutting edge 24 of the fixed blade 23, that is, in the retracted position shown in Fig. 4, the cutting edge 33` at one end, for example, that nearest the left hand side of Fig. 4, or the back of the rcasing I,'is located nearer the cutting edge 24 than is the cutting. edge 33 at the other end, so

as to provide for progressive transverse shearing lwhen the movable blade 32 is moved toward the l fixed blade 23.

surface disposed substantially normal to the bed surface to serve as a guide vfor cut sheets when the movable bar is reversed vto 'face the flat edge surface toward the center of the bed. For this purpose'the means employed to permit the movable bar to be moved transversely across the bed surface, and to lock it in any selected one of a number of positions for accommodating sheets of different widths, preferably permits complete detachment of the bar so that it may be reversed, end for end, to provide for selective use of either edge thereof. v

These and other features .of the apparatus of thev present invention may become more apparent by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout. A casing I0 provides a frame structure for support of various elements of the apparatus of the present invention. vIt includes end walls. II and I2 and side walls I3 and I4. The casing I3 supports a bed plate I5 over which a strip of sheet material is to be fed or for support of cut sheets thereof. Within the casing Ill is supported a frame member or bracket I6 having a top plate section I1 and an end wall plate section I8 for the support of various elements. shown in Figs. 2 and 4 the frame member I6 is preferably mounted on side walls I3 and I 4. The top plate section I1 carries posts I9, I9 for support of the end edge of the bed platek I5. .A pair.

of brackets 2l), 20 are supported in spaced apart relation upon the plate section I1 and each includes a sleeve member 2l having a vertical bore extending therethrough. Arms 22, 22 support a transversely extending fixed blade 23 preferably having its cutting edge 24 disposed in the plane of the top surface of the bed I5.

Each sleeve member 2I reciprocatively carries The rods 25, 2 5 reciprocatively mounted in the sleeves 2|, 2I guide the movable blade 32 in its travel along a path substantially at right angles to the plane of the bedl 5. This is accomplished by means of a cam follower mounted upon the lower ends of the rods or plungers 25, 25 and preferably comprises a transverse depressing bar 34 fixed-to the lower ends of the rods 25, 25. The depressing bar 34 is preferably provided with a pair of spaced apart bearing plates 35, 35, each held by means of the biasing force of springs 29, 29 in contact with a lobe 36 of a rotatable cam 31. The cam 31 at the back of the structure is preferably pivotally supported by a stud 38 fixed to the end plate portion I8. A shaft 39 is rotatably supported in a bearing 40 mounted on the end wall I I and a bearing 4 I mounted on the wall portion I8 of the frame member I6.

The cam 31 nearest the front of the device or the casing wall` I4.is fixed on the shaft 39 to be rotated therewith. The wall I4 is provided with a pair of vertically extending slots 42, 42 through each of which a. lever arm 43 extends with the inner ends of the lever arms 43, 43 fixed on the substantially at right angles to the severing plane defined by the blades 23 and 32.

The brackets 20, 20 support a transversely extending guard bar 41 located on the approach side of the cutting blades 23 and 32. This guard means preferably comprisesa bar of transparent material such as Lucite and is spaced a limited' distance above -the top surface of the bed plate I5 as shown in Fig. 2 to form a slot 48 through .which sheet material is fed to the cutting blades.

Along the front edge of the bed plate I5 a sheet-guiding bar 49 is mounted in xed position.

This bar has its inside edge undercut at. 50 to provide with the top surface of the bed plate `,I5 a slot for guidance of the edge of sheet materlal. This xed guide bar 49 may also be .pro-

vided at its outside edge with a groove, or may L be undercut to provide with the. top surface of the bed plate a groove, for the reception of the #inwardly turned end of a slide indicator 5I las.

assente;

in Ffgl.".z3; the@indieatorfbeingemployable:

, tofguide margin severance between successive iii-- sheeti'rnl'it'erial.L` The/bar 522is-mounted upon the bed@ plate-i i l inany1 suitable *mannen so thatit'f mayfbeil'xedin =ai plurality Y"of positiensf to'accom'` modate i slieet material'A of? differing" Widths.` As sli'dv'vii intlie"Adiawingsstliisifmay-comprise a' pair' ofE slfetsli 53,E 53"**ii1 theV bed pla'ten I5, each receiving' therethrough' a' l bolt 54 having the i-tl'ireade'd'l erid thereof engaged in a nut 55iheld'i in non-rotating fashlnitbitlie-f'undersidfof the bed plate I5 by a pair of opposed channel members 56, 56 extending along the sides of the slot 53 to permit, when the bolts 54 are loosened, transverse sliding movement of the guide bar 52. This structure also permits complete free movement of 4the guide bar 52 by disengagement of the bolts 54,54 from the nuts 55, 55 so that the guide bar 52 may be reversed, end for end, to presentthe back edge 51 of the guide bar toward the center of .the bed plate I5 and, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3, the back edge 51 of the movable guide bar 52 is preferably formed as a straight flat surface disposed substantially normal to the top surface of the bed plate I5 so as to serve as a guide for cut sheets when this guide bar is reversed.

Preferably the end wall II of the casing` Ill is slotted at 58 slidably to receive an arm 59, the projecting end of which supports a transversely extending rod 60 for support of a roll of sheet material. Adjustment of .the spacing between the rod 60 and the end wall I I is provided for accommodation of rolls of sheet material of different diameters. This is preferably accomplished by providing a slot 6I in that portion of the arm 59 within the casing `I0 and mounting a bolt 62 therethrough to extend through a hole in the back side wall I3 for reception of the threaded end of a wing nut 63.

In operation when it is desired to employ the embodiment ofthe apparatus of the present invention shown in the drawings for separating different sections of a roll of sheet material, such as photographic prints which have been successively made on a roll of photographic printing paper, the latter is supported on the rod 60. The end of the roll of sheet material is carried up over the end of the bed plate I5 and after the movable guide bar 52 has been properly adjusted to accommodate that particular Width of sheet material, the edges thereof are guided into opposed slots 50, 50. The sheet material is then fed to the cutting blades through the slot 48 beneath the transparent guard bar 41 to between the cutting blades 23 and 32. When so manipulated by the hands of the operator to the proper 4position for severances desired, as may be readily determined by visual inspection permitted by the guard bar 41, the depressing bar 46 is moved downwardly or depressed by either hand of the operator as he holds the sheet material in proper position with the other hand. Downward movement of the depressing bar 46 rotates the shaft 39 through a radial angle in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4. Shaft 39 carries with it the front cam 31 and the link 45 causes the back cam 31 simultaneously to rotate therewith. During such rotation through radial angles of the cams 31, 31,

yprcgressively passes-1 the. cutting edge 211 offtiiel the@ opposite direction ite-tnepositions lsnownun Figs; i@anditherebyfresettingf the mechanism for subsequent severing operation. It has found inioperaton that th'eirelative *position` of the manual operator or depressing bar to the feed of the paper and the severing plane or the plane of the blade action enables an operator to cut up to several thousand prints per hour,

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among others, are eiciently attained by the apparatus of the present invention and since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to V cover all of the generic and specic features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might besaid to fall therebetween. Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a sheet cutter the combination with a bed for support of sheet material, a xed cut- Y ting blade, a movable cutting blade and means to guide said movable cutting blade along a path substantially at right angles to the plane of said bed, of movable-blade-operating means comi prising means biasing said-movable blade to an upper retracted position and to lift it thereto, a depression bar connected to said movable blade, rotary cam means to ride upon said bar, lever means to rotate said cam means through a radial angle, and a depressing bar mounted on said lever means and extending along said bed substantially at right angles to said blade fon manual operation of said movable blade during severing stroke thereof.

2. In a sheet cutter the combination with a bed for support of sheet material, axed cutg ting blade, a movable cutting blade and means to guide said movable cutting blade along a path substantially at right angles to the plane of said bed, of movable-blade-operating means comprising means biasing said movable blade to an upper retracted position and to lift it thereto, a depression bar connected to said movable blade, rotary cam means to ride upon said bar, lever means connected to said cam means to rotate the latter through a radial angle, and a depressing bar mounted on said lever means and extending along said bed substantially at right angles to said blade for manual operation of said `movable blade during severing stroke thereof.

3. In a sheet cutter the combination comprising a transversely extending movable cutting ally connected tofboth of said cams to cause l0 simultaneous rotary movement thereof, a rotatable shaft to which one of said cams is fixed, lever means xed` to said shaft, andan elongated manual depressing bar mounted on said lever means and extending substantially at right. 15

angles to the severing plane defined by said blade. Y g

4. In a sheet cutter, the combination comprising, a .bed structure for support of sheet material, transversely extending cutting means, a' xed sheet-guiding bar extending along one side of said bed structure, a movable sheetguiding bar adustably mounted on said bed structure in spaced relation to and substantially parallel to said xed bar, and bar mounting means to permit selective mounting of said. movable bar` at different distances from said xed bar and reversal at will for selective employment of opposed edges thereof, said movable b ar being undercut on one edge to provide with a .bed surface an elongated slot for guiding continuous sheets and provided with ak at surface'` on the opposed edge to extend substantially at right angles to the plane of the bed surface for guidance of cut sheets.

RAY U. S'I'RANDBERG. 

